The South Circular

I've been hanging out with some folk from South London recently and they love it - South London that is. Never quite seen it myself...probably on account of the fact that I've not really seen it. Students of geography note: the impact of big rivers on human discourse...I've lived in London 13 years and probably visited south of the river....about 13 times. Which is quite shameful. Almost as bad as my 20 years of childhood in South Yorkshire, in which time I only ever visited Barnsley - err once.

Come to think of it, I did date someone who lived in Stoneleigh, for about a year. But her flat was about two miles inside the Surrey border, so I'm figuring that doesn't really count.

But there is something deeper
I had a fabulous evening in Crystal Palace in August. But with this notable exception, generally speaking bad things happen to me when I head South. My two previous trips across the water involved: a) me driving into the back of a 4x4 causing £3750 worth of damage to my motor (and not a scratch on the 4x4...tax the fuckers); b) me returning North to find my flat burgled (vigilante death squads anyone?) So it was with trepidation that J, D and I set off on the South Circ for my sister's surprise house warming in Beckenham (who'd have thought it?). True to form, the South Circular was utterly ghastly....a 14 mile journey took 2 hours....but the party was great. Sisters new boyfriend is a legend. A prime example of how the nice guy can win through. He loves her, so is nice to her. A simple concept - lost on many.

So one way or another, CJD will find excuses to learn more about our southern brothers and sisters. But we will do so avoiding the South Circular. It has to be the shitest, doom ridden, randomly signed excuse for a road in the history of shite, doom ridden, randomly signed excuses for roads eva. Love and kisses CJD